A system for generating and maintaining field service publications

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed at a publication including plural service publication units typically used by a service technician to service a complex product. The units are browser enabled HTML files and include special links to at least one of the other publications units. The links are file names determined within a predetermined naming convention. The publication units are produced with a groupware product and a script for the groupware product along with a process for converting the links. The links, prior to conversion, have the form {{code,link,description}} where “code” corresponds to a publication file name without a file type extension, “link” indicates what should appear in the HTML text and “description” describes the contents of the file for the author. The HTML service publication unit files are stored on a service technician&#39;s portable computer and accessible at the site of the product. The invention also includes a process allowing a publication author to produce a text document including file name references within the predetermined naming convention. The process converts the publication into the browser enabled document including converting the file name references into browser enable links. The browser document can also include an applet interacting with a product providing data for the document.

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is directed to a system for generating, maintaining and accessing publications that change over time and, more particularly, to a system for producing field service publications typically used by a field engineer to help service a product where each unit of the publication is kept small, generated and accessible using standard systems and uses predetermined file and path names.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Publications that need to be updated periodically, such as a field service publication for a complex product or machine, have traditionally been provided on paper or using custom software. What is needed is a system that will deliver such publications to field service personnel electronically using tools commonly available to today's computer users.

[0004] Field publications typically have relatively long update cycles resulting in publications that are somewhat out of date when the product technology changes rapidly. Such changes are often communicated by phone messages, newsletters and paper update inserts. What is needed is a system that will allow updates concurrent with changes and will allow updates to be made electronically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that allows publications that are updated regularly, such as field service publications, to be updated easily and rapidly.

[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a system in which updates are electronic.

[0007] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a publication in which the units of the publication are small and easily maintained.

[0008] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system that allows updates and access to the publications electronically.

[0009] The above objects can be attained by a system that includes a publication divided into plural service publication units used by a service technician to service a complex product, such as a copier. Each of the publication units is dedicated to a particular topic, such as an error code, keeping each unit small. Each of the publication units are browser enabled text files, such as HTML files. The units can include special links to at least one of the other publications units where the links are file names within a predetermined path and file naming convention. The publication units are produced with a groupware product and a script associated with the product. The links prior to conversion have the syntax and format {{code,link,description}} where code corresponds to a publication file name without a file type extension, link indicates what should appear in the HTML text and description describes the contents of the file for the author. The HTML files are stored on a service technician's portable computer and accessible at the site of the product.

[0010] These together with other objects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 depicts a system of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 2 depicts an HTML document.

[0013] FIGS. 3-6 show the flow of operations in creating service publication units (SPUs).

[0014]FIG. 7 depicts a directory structure.

[0015]FIG. 8 illustrates an interactive document of a publication.

[0016]FIG. 9 shows a typical user interaction flow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The present invention is directed at a system that produces and provides to users publications that are updated periodically. The invention operates in an environment 10 preferably as depicted in FIG. 1. A product development team 12, which can be located at a single office or scattered over a number of geographically separate offices, works with a conventional groupware tool 14, such as preferably Lotus Notes™ using conventional work station type computers, to develop different sections or units of a field reference or service publication.

[0018] The service publication is structurally organized into the service publication units (SPUs) by delineating each topic of the publication into a unit. For example, each error code has a dedicated SPU, each replacement procedure has a dedicated SPU, each part has a dedicated SPU, etc. SPUs are generally the smallest units possible to completely cover one distinct subject, i.e. one error code, one part description, one adjustment task, etc. By organizing the publication in this way, each of the units is kept small, on the order of about one to three pages, making the units compatible with all known e-mail programs allowing the sending of files as attachments. This size makes it easy to electronically transport the SPUs to the field engineers as they are updated.

[0019] The person preparing each unit of the service publication (or service publication unit—SPU) provides the text, drawings, video sequences, applets, etc. that can typically be provided in an Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) type document. Any links to other service publications are provided in the document in a particular preferred format which will be discussed in more detail later herein. A typical groupware document for an SPU may look like the Adjustment Procedure Groupware Document of the Appendix which is an example for adjustment procedure J6A02. The groupware document can be in the form of a form that the author completes where the form includes sections such as one view, operations, etc. or could be in a free format with no structure constraints.

[0020] The groupware document provided is processed by a script engine 16, such as a Lotus™ Script, to produce an HTML document or file which comprises the SPU. This processing uses conventional operations to convert a document in the groupware format into a document in a world wide web based HTML format except for the special links, the processing of which will be discussed in more detail later. An example of an HTML page (17) for the adjustment procedure J6A02 noted above is depicted in FIG. 2. The HTML document is provided with a file name and a directory path name defined according to a naming convention and directory structure which will be discussed in more detail later. The HTML document is downloaded to the customer site and stored on a computer as a static (not dynamic) HTML document 18 where the storage may be on a computer at the customer site or on the computer of the service technician which would typically be a portable laptop type machine. The downloading can be via sending an e-mail message with the attached file to the technicians computer, via a specific special dial-up update session initiated by the technician or via the distribution of an update disk including the updated files.

[0021] The computer of the product being maintained could also be updated if it is connected to the Internet. The same directory structure is provided in the computer at the customer site. The file name and path name for the file are used to store the file in the proper relative storage location within the directory structure.

[0022] The field engineer (FE) or technician 20 for the customer site can then access the document using a conventional Web browser 22, such as Netscape Navigator™. Any references to other documents found in the viewed document can be followed by the technician using conventional browsing techniques.

[0023] When one of the SPUs needs to be updated, the member of the development team produces a new/updated document, it is processed by the script engine 16 and downloaded to the customer site. That is, substantially immediately after the updated document is produced, it is provided to the field service technician.

[0024] The workstation computer executing the groupware product and the script can be a conventional Pentium™ based machine while the laptop needs to be browser, Java and Java Script enabled. This machine also preferably has a reader such as Adobe Acrobat™, has an .avi video player and is able to read and write “cookies.”

[0025] A typical script based process 30 for creating the SPUs for service publications dedicates a script process for converting a groupware document into a static HTML document for each of the types of SPUs that can be created as illustrated in FIG. 3. The process can be considered a process for building or rebuilding the SPUs and could be executed each day allowing updates to be forwarded to field engineers daily. Once the automatic process 30 has been initiated 32, the first operation is to copy all the illustrations from the groupware database to the file system. The illustrations can include links to FRUs. Next, the SPUs for FRUs or parts are created 36. The FRUs can include not only text but drawings and links to other publications, such as error codes and theory guides. Theory guide publication units are then created 38. Theory guides can include links to parts as well as videos and animations that show the operation of different parts. Adjustment publications are created 40 next. These types of SPUs typically include procedures for adjusting the product and can include links to prerequisite and post-requisite adjustments. Replacement procedure publications are then created 42 which can include links to adjustments and other replacements. The created service software publications 44 include the calling parameters to Java applets. Wiring diagrams units, when created 46, include illustrations, as well as links to checkouts. Next, an HTML index to the illustration are produced 48 which allow the field engineer (FE) to find an illustration for a subsystem. Service publication units that show, describe and demonstrate the use of tools are then created 50. Training publication units are produced 52 and typically include pre-course modules and student guides. Auxiliary file publications 54 include the initial HTML navigation menus. Installation units are created 56 which include procedures for system installation and typically have links to adjustments. Error code SPUs can be created 58 that not only have descriptions of the errors along with diagrams, etc. that allow the technician to understand the causes of the error but these types of SPUs can also include applets in a script, such as JAVA, that the technician's computer executes. These specialized scripts can also download an applet into the machine being serviced where the JAVA routine is executed and supplies current information about machine condition, etc. to the technician's computer. That is, these types of SPUs allow the service publication to interact with the machine being serviced as well as the technician performing the service. Glossary SPUs that include the definition of terms and that explain the definition are created 60 next. Then, videos or animations that are used for the various other SPUs are created 62. This ends the typical operation of creating the units of service publications. Other type of publications, such as total call procedures, would require different script processes. The processes can also be performed in an order different from that shown in FIG. 3.

[0026] As can be seen from the above discussion, the script processes for creating service publication units are somewhat different for each of the types of SPUs. However, they share some common characteristics and, because of the links created according to the present invention, a typical set of operations performed by a script will be discussed with reference to creating an HTML static document from a Lotus Notes™ document for theory guides with respect to FIGS. 4-6.

[0027] Once the theory guide script process 38 is started 80 (see FIG. 4), the index listing for the theory guides is opened 82. This listing includes the index structure for the theory guides. Next, the cross referenced error codes for the particular operation are processed 84. A view is then opened 86 into the groupware document. The process then enters a loop where the document of the view is processed to create 88 (see FIG. 5) the SPU for a single theory guide. When the processing of each of the theory guide SPUs is finished 90, the index listing is closed 92 and processing for the theory guide stops 94.

[0028] After the process for creating the single theory guide has started 110 (see FIG. 5), the script produces 112 a name for the theory guide using the naming convention to be discussed later herein in more detail. The header for the HTML file is then created 114. Next the different sections of the theory guide are processed: the overview section 116, the theory sections 118 and then the sequence of operation sections 120. The processing of each of these sections includes scriptable operations that can be created by one of ordinary skill in the art of creating HTML documents from groupware documents as well as the operations of processing the special links embedded within the groupware documents which link to other service publication objects. When the script process encounters an embedded link setoff by the special syntax characters, as will be discussed later, the script essentially calls a special subroutine which processes the link. For example, FRUs will typically include a link to checkouts as well as one to wiring diagrams. The processing of these links will be discussed with respect to FIG. 6.

[0029] The expansion of a link embedded in a groupware document, once started 130, enters a loop (see FIG. 6) where the system looks for 132 the start of an embedded link, parses it 134 and replacement HTML “code” is substituted 136. When no more links are found, the expansion processing stops 138. An example of the Expansion Process or function in the Lotus Script language is set forth in the attached Appendix.

[0030] An example of the script (Check Out Script) for creating the HTML documents for the Check Out SPUs is also set forth in the Appendix. In this script a call to the expansion process or function is shown by the statement—str1=ExpandLink02(str1,“CheckOut:” & FRUCode1 & Suffix, “C”)—.

[0031] Each embedded link in the groupware document has the format {{code,link,description}} where the special syntax characters that start a link and for which the script searches (see 132) are a pair of left braces “{{“and the characters that end the link are a pair of right braces”}}.”

[0032] The “description” field within the embedded link is a text field completed by the author of the SPU that helps the author identify the subject matter of the SPU.

[0033] The “link” field is a code that indicates what the author would like to see (and highlight as an HTML reference) in the final HTML text. Preferably, the link field code is a numeric code with 1 indicating the HTML should show the code only, 2 specifying the appearance of the description only, 3 designating that the code followed by a dash followed by the text description should appear in the HTML, 4 indicating that an illustration should be shown full size, 5 specifying that a small thumbnail type image should appear but become a full size image when the small image is selected, 6 indicating that the illustration should appear full size left justified with text flowing around on the right, 7 specifying that a full size image should appear right justified with text flowing around the illustration on the left, 8 same as 6 above with additional spacing around the illustration, and 9 specifying that the description appear as a substitute for the link such that the link is not embedded in the HTML document.

[0034] The “code” field is a text field of alphanumeric characters that define the SPU within the naming convention. The code is the unique name of the SPU. Some of the link options result in looking up the current description for the SPU. That is, no matter how the author describes the object, the correct and most up-to-date description will be substituted in the final HTML the cause of the code. That is, each object of the publication has a unique name and as will be discussed later a unique storage position in a directory structure. The code or name format is preferably fixed or predetermined according to the rules described herein (see TABLE 1). This not only allows publication development team members to know how to name the SPUs but also allows those that maintain (update) the SPUs to easily determine the document that needs to be updated. The code format is set forth in the table below where “a” means alpha, “n” means numeric and a capital letter is a fixed text character and is a code identifier or code ID. The variable parts of the code (“a” and “n”) are used to specify the relationship of the object to the product. The first alpha identifies the system and the first numeric identifies the subsystem. For FRUs the second numeric identifies the subassembly. The remaining digits are unique sequence numbers. The place of the alphanumeric indicates the level of the object within the product. The code ID identifies the type of code. For example, J2X01 is the first error code (“X”) in the system “J—Paper Path” and the subsystem “J2—Paper Supplies and Vertical Transports.” J2R01 is the first replacement for the system and subsystem and J2A01 is the first adjustment for this system/subsystem. J2001 is the identifier for an FRU in this system, subsystem. TABLE 1 Possible FRU Error Code Adjustment Illustration Service S/W Replacement Check Out Cause code format annnn anXnn anAnn annPnn.aaa anSann anRnn annnnCn anXnnPn anLnn anWnn.aaa (see note A) codeID F E A P S R C D 1-just code okay okay okay okay okay okay okay okay 2-just okay okay okay okay okay okay description 3-code & okay okay okay n/a okay okay description 4-illust. in n/a n/a okay okay n/a n/a line 5-small n/a n/a n/a okay okay n/a n/a n/a illust. in line 6-illust. left n/a n/a n/a okay n/a n/a n/a flow right 7-illust. n/a n/a n/a okay n/a n/a n/a right, flow left 8-illust. okay left, flow right (HSPACE) 9-Description okay but not LINK

[0035] The directory for the SPUs according to the invention is a fixed, predetermined directory structure. Having the directory with a fixed structural relationship allows publication development team members (as well as the field engineers) to know exactly where a particular document is stored or to be stored, both in the groupware file form and the HTML file form. The fixed directory structure also allows a person updating documents to easily determine where a particular document is stored. The directory structure in pointer diagram form is depicted in FIG. 7. In list form the preferred fixed directory structure for service publication units associated with a maintenance and repair manual for a product is:

[0036] root (150)

[0037] eos (152)

[0038] dhv (154—product identifier such as a copier model number)

[0039] illus (156—all illustrations, diagrams, videos, animations, etc. stored here)

[0040] spu (158—a subdirectory of SPUs)

[0041] adjust (164—adjustment procedures)

[0042] checkout (166—part verification procedures)

[0043] err_code (168—error codes)

[0044] fip (170—fault isolation procedures)

[0045] glossary (172—term definitions)

[0046] illust (174—illustration index)

[0047] install (176—installation instructions)

[0048] instruct (178—instructional presentations)

[0049] menu (180—high level menus with links to all SPUs)

[0050] replace (182—replacement procedures)

[0051] ser_sw (184—calls to applets)

[0052] ser_sw2 (186—menu structure to reference applets on product)

[0053] theory (188—theory guides)

[0054] tools (190—tool descriptors)

[0055] training (192—machine educational courses)

[0056] wiring (194—electrical diagrams)

[0057] app_help (196—applet help screens)

[0058] video (160—training videos)

[0059] mach_app (162—applets normally on the product)

[0060] Note that software errors are treated the same as hardware errors, they have error codes, fault isolation procedures, etc. In this data structure illustration J2P01.pdf on the C drive (root) of a service technicians personal computer would be found at c:\eos\dhv\illus\J2P01.pdf while a part (FRU) J230100 would be found at c:\eos\dhv\spu\fru\J230100.htm. With such a fixed structure the movement within the different SPU files is a simple matter of clicking up one level and then down one level. To move to a different device SPU file from a current device SPU file, such as when stopping service on one product and starting service on another product requires clicking up two levels and then down two levels. That is, to get to and from the same level document always requires the same number of level transitions. Additional knowledge about where the system is located is not needed to navigate within the publication. The directory structure for other types of service publications would have different categories for the SPUs but would otherwise be fixed in the number of levels, etc.

[0061] Based on the naming convention and the directory structure the present invention, when a service publication is involved, can produce service objects as set forth in TABLE 2 below. TABLE 2 SPU Naming Convention Service a-alphabetic letter Object n-number Directory Comments Illustrations annPnn.aaa (i.e. eos/dhv/illus Various gifs and A11P01.gif or CO4P01.pdf) pdfs files used throughout Eos Wiring anWnn.aaa (i.e. eos/dhv/illus Electrical Diagrams D1W03.pdf) Diagrams Adjustments anAnn (i.e. J1A01.htm) eos/dhv/spu/adjust These are procedures that the FEs use to adjust the machine Checkouts annnn_Cn (i.e. D6100 eos/dhv/spu/checkout Checkouts are used C1.htm) to verify if a part is operating correctly Error Codes anXnn or anLnn (i.e. eos/dhv/spu/err_code Error codes are J1X01.htm) the start of the diagnostic process. Most error codes are generated by logic in the printer Fault anXnnPCn (i.e. eos/dhv/spu/fip Each error code Isolation J5X09PC5.htm) has one or more Procedures Fault Isolation Procedures that assist the FE in determining how to repair the problem Parts annnnnn (i.e. eos/dhv/spu/fru W260300.htm) Glossary eos/dhv/spu/glossary Definitions for various terms Illustration eos/dhv/spu/illust Index structure Index for the illustrations Installation The four digit eos/dhv/spu/install The installation Directions Service Code with a instructions for .htm extension each product Instructor eos/dhv/spu/instruct Contains Guides PowerPoint presentations used by the Instructors for the training class Menu eos/dhv/spu/menu This directory contains the various files used to get Eos going on the laptop Replacement anRnn (i.e. M4R06.htm) eos/dhv/spu/replace Procedures to Procedures remove and reinstall a part Service eos/dhv/spu/ser_sw2 Contains high software level menus to link to service software menus on the product Theory Guides anaaa.. (i.e. eos/dhv/spu/theory Theory Guides on C3TYPE4.htm) the operation of the equipment Tools TL-nnnn (i.e. TL- eos/dhv/spu/tools Description and 2078.htm) picture of each tool needed to service the product Training eos/dhv/spu/training The html files for the Precourse Guides and the Student Guides Wiring eos/dhv/spu/wiring Index structure Diagram Index for wiring diagrams Applet Help eos/dhv/spu/app_help Help screens for information on using the Java Applets Videos anVnn (i.e. J1V09.avi) eos/dhv/video Videos for training

[0062] Given the expansion process, the predetermined file naming convention and the predetermined file path of the invention as described above, when a link such as {{J2X11, 1, Sensor failure}} is encountered, the link will be expanded within the document as:

[0063] <A HREF=“. ./err_code/J2X11.htm” >J2X11</A> and J2X11 would be displayed to the user. If the link was {{J2X11, 2, Sensor failure}}, then:

[0064] <A HREF=“. ./err_code/J2X11.htm” >PAPER SUPPLY 1 FRONT LEVEL SENSOR failure</A> would be generated, and the FE would see PAPER SUPPLY 1 FRONT LEVEL SENSOR failure.

[0065] Similarly, if the link was {{J2X11, 3, Sensor failure}}, the HTML file would contain:

[0066] <A HREF=“. ./err_code/J2X11.htm” >J2X11 PAPER SUPPLY 1 FRONT LEVEL SENSOR failure</A> and the displayed result would be J2X11—PAPER SUPPLY 1 FRONT LEVEL SENSOR failure.

[0067] Today's complex products 110 often include one or more computers 112 and 114 and, if the product 110 is Internet compatible, one of the computers 112 in the product 110 executes a web server, such as the Microsoft Internet Information Server, that allows communication with the machine/product 110 over the Internet, as depicted in FIG. 8. During the use of the service publication 116 by the technician, the technician may access a document therein, such as a check out, that includes an applet. Assuming that the technician's computer 118 is connected to a communication port of the product 110, the computer 118 can communicate to the product 110 in the same way Internet communications are handled using a standard protocol, such as TCP/IP. This allows the document of the publication 116 in the computer 118 to control an applet in the server computer 112. The server computer 112 executes the applet, controlling the other computers 114 in the product 110 to perform some function, such as an error detection procedure, and sends back to the processor 118 the results which are displayed in the document of the publication 116 being used by the technician. That is, the service publication is interactive, in real time, with both the technician and the product.

[0068] During the use of the HTML files and data structure by a service technician, the technician would start the conventional browser and, depending on the circumstances, access the needed file. If the technician knows the part number for the FRU, the FRU files would be accessed using the part name. Similarly, if the technician knows the error code it can be used as the browse term for the browser. The user can also start with a menu list which provides links or pointers into the desired topics. A typical session using the invention could include the flow of operations shown in FIG. 9. The user via the computer 130 would access 140 the menu where user ID, password and connection processes can be executed. The computer 130 would then communicate with the product 132 to execute a cookie fetch to enable future applet communications. The processing would then move to a second menu 144 where a Java virtual machine would be started and configuration data would be obtained 146 from the product. The next menu 148 could activate Java sessions in the product 132 which would communicate and interact with corresponding sessions 150 in the laptop computer 130. As a result of these sessions, another menu 154 could be selected and activated through which access to the various SPUs 156 would be available. The SPUs likewise could activate various applets 158 and software service menus 160 in the product 132.

[0069] The present invention has been described with respect to using Lotus™ Notes groupware and a Lotus script to convert the groupware documents into HTML files. It is also possible to use an Oracle DBMS and Visual Basic to convert the documents into SGML files. Another alternative is to use MS Access™ and Java to produce HTML or SGML files.

[0070] The HTML pages accessed by a field engineer can be stored on a hard disk or a compact disc, such as a CD ROM or a CD W/R. The processes of the present invention can be stored on a storage medium such as a floppy, hard disk or CD or transmitted via a communication medium such as electromagnetic waves.

[0071] The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A publication, comprising: plural publication units, each publication unit comprising: at least web browser enabled text including links to at least one of the other publications units, the links comprising a predetermined file name.
 2. A publication as recited in claim 1, wherein the web browser enabled text comprises static hypertext markup language text.
 3. A publication as recited in claim 2, wherein the units have predetermined path names with each unit object residing in a dedicated directory and each unit having a file name uniquely determined by one of physical object location and action described by the unit.
 4. A publication as recited in claim 3, wherein said units are generated by a groupware product.
 5. A publication as recited in claim 4, wherein location in a groupware file corresponding to the browser text file is the same.
 6. A publication as recited in claim 4, wherein the links, prior to generation, have the syntax and format {{code,link,description}} where code corresponds to a publication file name without a file type extension, link indicates what should appear in the HTML text and description describes the contents of the file for the author.
 7. A publication as recited in claim 1, wherein each unit comprises an applet interacting with a machine and providing data as part of the document.
 8. A publication as recited in claim 1, wherein each unit is e-mail attachment compatible.
 9. A publication as recited in claim 1, wherein each unit is the smallest text/graphics required to completely cover one distinct service publication subject.
 10. A process, comprising: allowing a publication author to produce a text document including file name references within a predetermined naming convention; and converting the publication into a browser enabled document including converting the file name references into browser enable links.
 11. A process as recited in claim 10, wherein the browser enabled document includes an applet interacting with a machine providing data for the document.
 12. A system, comprising: a first computer allowing a publication author to produce text documents including file name references within a predetermined naming convention and converting the publication into a browser enabled document including converting the file name references into browser enabled links; and a second computer storing the browser enabled document and allowing a user to browse the documents using the links.
 13. An apparatus, comprising: a computer, including: browser enabled publication units having links therebetween comprising predetermined file names within a predetermined directory structure; and a browser allowing a user to browse the units using the links.
 14. A computer readable storage medium including browser enabled publication units having links therebetween comprising predetermined file names within a predetermined directory structure and a browser allowing a user to browse the units using the links. 